Revell would swap save for a winner

Toby Lock

Hero Alex Revell admitted he’d swap his remarkable penalty save for a goal at the other end after Dons drew 1-1 with Preston on Saturday.

The striker replaced Cody Cropper in goal with eight minutes to go after the American was sent off for a foul on Eoin Doyle, and diving high to his right, kept out Joe Garner’s penalty to ensure a share of the spoils.

Cody Cropper

But within 10 seconds of coming on as a substitute, Revell could have had a goal of his own, narrowly missing Josh Murphy’s cross by inches.

“I’d sooner have scored than saved the penalty. It’s a headline, but I wanted the win.

“It was unfortunate that Cody got sent off. It was lucky I guessed the right way and saved it. He spoke to me before, and I knew he’d scored a few and missed a few too. I don’t know why I went that way, I went early, and made the save!

“I carried on my dive and hit the post! I was trying to time waste a bit as well so I let it bleed a bit!

“I said in training the other day that I’d go in goal if it came to it, but Kyle (McFadzean) was ready to go in, but the gaffer told me to put the gloves on.”

Dons have drawn all of their previous meetings at Deepdale, and this one was no different. Jermaine Beckford capitalised on Cropper’s hesitation to put Preston ahead after just seven minutes, but Nicky Maynard equalised after an Anders Lindegaard mistake nine minutes into the second half.

While Garner missed a penalty and Callum Robinson missed a sitter for the home side, Murphy missed a great chance for Dons to nick it in stoppage time as they prolonged their stay in the Championship for another game.

Revell said: “We had enough chances to win it at the end as well. In the second half, we were unlucky not to get all the points to be honest.

“Just coming on, I was just off the pace and I was only inches away from Josh’s cross.

“Things haven’t quite fallen for us again, and I don’t know how many more times I can say it.

“Preston probably edged the first half, but we played some great football and we showed we shouldn’t be where we are.